James Lawrence Schmerbauch

James L. Schmerbauch is an attorney in JML's Workers' Compensation Department.

James was first admitted to practice in California in 1988 and in his more than 26 year legal career has tried many types of legal claims and has secured millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements on behalf of his clients. James is a seasoned attorney who has represented both insurance companies as defense counsel and individuals as plaintiff counsel both in State and Federal Courts.

James is a California native, born in Sacramento, and has spent most of his life in Southern California. He is a formally trained and self taught musician and artist. He supported himself as a professional musician while completing his undergraduate and graduate studies at California State University, Long Beach which included industrial arts and engineering. James first became interested in law when a music recording contract he was involved with was breached. After obtaining a Masters Degree from CSULB, he worked as a project engineer in the electronic assembly industry while attending law school at Western State University, College of Law. After admission to the California Bar his first employment was as an in house counsel for a large Orange County Medical Group where he first became involved in workers’ compensation.

James has devoted his legal practice to Workers’ Compensation for the last 13 years.

In his spare time James enjoys spending time with his wife, playing music, drawing and painting.